Developed by students from a high school in İzmir to improve water-use efficiency in agriculture, the hydrogel system was presented to visitors at TEKNOFEST, held in Şanlıurfa.
The project reached the finals of the Agricultural Technologies Competition at the festival, which took place at GAP Airport. The system aims to address the problem of some of the water reaching the soil through irrigation and rainfall not being usable by plants.
Hydrogel preserves moisture in the root zone
Under the project’s operating principle, hydrogel is used as a gel-like material capable of absorbing and retaining water. The product is placed in the soil together with seeds in planting holes opened by farmers.
The hydrogel is intended to absorb rainwater and irrigation water and preserve it in the root zone for longer, thereby improving water-use efficiency in the soil.

Onur Duman, a 12th-grade student involved in the project, said they were working on water-use efficiency in agriculture as part of the Agricultural Technologies Competition at TEKNOFEST 2026. Duman said they aimed for their product to address inefficient water use in agricultural production and to be easily adopted by farmers.

TEKNOFEST continues in southeastern Türkiye
Güneydoğu Anadolu TEKNOFEST, organized by the Ministry of Industry and Technology, the T3 Foundation and an engineering and trade company specializing in defense technologies, is welcoming visitors at the event site in Şanlıurfa. The festival will continue through October 4.